The Assistant Vice Provost, Academic Quality & Accreditation provides university-wide strategic and operational leadership for academic quality, institutional and specialized accreditation, academic compliance, policy governance, and continuous improvement across Webster University’s schools, colleges, academic programs, instructional locations, and modalities. Reporting to the Provost, the role leads multiple functional areas and institution-wide initiatives, exercises cross-functional decision authority, and translates institutional strategy, accreditation standards, and regulatory requirements into effective operational practices.
The Assistant Vice Provost serves as a senior advisor to the Provost and partners with Deans, faculty, shared governance, and administrative leaders to strengthen academic quality, institutional accountability, compliance, and continuous improvement.
The role requires executive-level strategic thinking, institutional effectiveness, policy development, change leadership, executive communication, data-informed decision-making, organizational leadership, relationship management, and cross-functional influence, along with the judgment and executive presence necessary to navigate complex and sensitive academic matters. This scope reflects the complexity, institutional impact, decision authority, and accountability expected of Webster’s Assistant Vice Provost level.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Institutional & Specialized Accreditation – 30%
- Provide university-wide leadership for Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation, reaffirmation, reporting, monitoring, and institutional readiness.
- Coordinate accreditation reviews, evidence collection, institutional reports, site visits, and required follow-up.
- Maintain an institution-wide accreditation calendar, documentation framework, and readiness process.
- Coordinate and monitor specialized and programmatic accreditation requirements across schools, colleges, and academic programs.
- Advise the Provost, Deans, faculty, and academic leaders regarding accreditation standards, risks, findings, and required actions.
- Serve as the University’s HLC Accreditation Liaison Officer, if formally designated.
- Academic Compliance & State Authorization – 20%
- Provide leadership for assigned federal and state academic compliance requirements.
- Oversee and coordinate state authorization requirements affecting academic programs, instructional locations, online education, and other academic activities.
- Monitor regulatory changes and translate requirements into appropriate institutional practices.
- Establish processes to identify, document, escalate, and remediate academic compliance risks.
- Coordinate with Legal, Registrar, Institutional Research, Financial Aid, Finance, and other institutional partners as appropriate.
- Academic Policy, Governance & Quality – 20%
- Lead the development, review, coordination, and implementation of University-level academic policies.
- Establish and maintain an effective academic policy review and governance process.
- Partner with faculty, Deans, academic leadership, and shared governance to promote consistent and appropriate implementation of academic policies.
- Coordinate assigned student academic complaint processes and identify systemic trends requiring institutional attention.
- Promote consistent academic quality and continuous improvement practices across locations and modalities.
- Academic Oversight, Reporting & Continuous Improvement – 20%
- Establish mechanisms for monitoring academic quality, compliance, accreditation readiness, and corrective actions.
- Develop dashboards, reports, compliance calendars, and risk indicators for the Provost and academic leadership.
- Coordinate grade submission oversight and partner with academic leaders and the Registrar to address recurring issues.
- Analyze academic quality, accreditation, policy, complaint, and compliance trends and recommend improvements.
- Serve as the Academic Affairs liaison for assigned grant and Institutional Review Board (IRB) matters.
- Maintain appropriate documentation, workflows, controls, and business continuity practices for critical functions.
- Institutional Leadership & Partnership – 10%
- Serve as a senior advisor to the Provost regarding academic quality, accreditation, compliance, and institutional risk.
- Lead cross-functional initiatives involving multiple schools, colleges, academic units, and administrative functions.
- Build effective partnerships with faculty, Deans, shared governance, Registrar, Institutional Research, Legal, Student Affairs, and other University stakeholders.
- Represent Academic Affairs on institutional committees and external matters within assigned areas of responsibility.
- Lead and develop assigned professional and administrative staff.
Salary range for this position: $138,000-$142,000 annually.
Preferred QualificationsEducation
- Master’s degree in higher education administration, education, academic affairs, institutional effectiveness, public administration, or a related field.
Requisite Experience
- 8–12+ years of progressively responsible management experience, including significant higher education leadership experience, consistent with Webster’s Assistant Vice Provost framework.
- Demonstrated experience with institutional accreditation, preferably Higher Learning Commission accreditation.
- Experience in academic quality, institutional effectiveness, academic compliance, assessment, academic policy, or related functions.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex cross-functional or institution-wide initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with faculty, Deans, academic leaders, and shared governance.
- Experience interpreting accreditation standards, regulatory requirements, and institutional policies.
- Experience developing institutional reports, accreditation materials, compliance documentation, and executive recommendations.
- Supervisory or significant team leadership experience.
- Experience within a multi-campus, global, online, or similarly complex higher education environment preferred.
Core Leadership Competencies
- Executive & Strategic Leadership
- Accreditation & Academic Quality
- Academic Policy & Governance
- Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management
- Institutional Effectiveness
- Operational Leadership & Execution
- Data-Informed Decision-Making
- Organizational & Change Leadership
- Continuous Improvement
- Executive Communication & Influence
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Relationship Management
- Faculty & Shared Governance Partnership
- Resource Management
Expected Leadership Behaviors: Accountable | Collaborative | Proactive | Solutions-Oriented | Operationally Disciplined | Data-Informed | Institutionally Focused | Decisive | Consultative
Skills Required
- Master's degree in higher education administration, education, academic affairs, institutional effectiveness, public administration, or a related field.
- 8-12+ years of progressively responsible management experience, including significant higher education leadership experience.
- Experience with institutional accreditation, preferably Higher Learning Commission accreditation.
- Experience in academic quality, institutional effectiveness, academic compliance, assessment, academic policy, or related functions.
- Experience leading complex cross-functional or institution-wide initiatives.
- Experience working collaboratively with faculty, Deans, academic leaders, and shared governance.
- Experience interpreting accreditation standards, regulatory requirements, and institutional policies.
- Experience developing institutional reports, accreditation materials, compliance documentation, and executive recommendations.
- Supervisory or significant team leadership experience.
- Experience within a multi-campus, global, online, or similarly complex higher education environment.
What We Do
Founded in 1915, Webster University is an independent nonprofit institution serving over 13,000 students worldwide. With its main campus in St. Louis, Missouri, and additional locations across North America, Europe, and Asia, the university offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs through in-person, hybrid, and online learning environments.
